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Epigenetics in Risk Assessment: Clarity or Confusion?
Citation:
Chorley, B. Epigenetics in Risk Assessment: Clarity or Confusion? Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) Virtual Annual meeting, Research Triangle Park, NC, September 22 - 25, 2021. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.16688776
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation will be given at the 2021 Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) virtual conference September 2021. The purpose of the talk to discuss the potential and the challenges of using epigenetic data in regulatory contexts of use.
Description:
Epigenetic alterations include modifications to DNA, histone proteins that serve as a genome scaffold, and other factors including non-coding RNAs that collectively regulate the expression of genes without changing DNA sequence. The epigenome can alter due to environmental perturbagens such chemicals, stress, socioeconomics, and other perturbations and may be an important biomarker of these exposures and eventual health consequences. Importantly, these changes may be early, dose-responsive indicators of later-in-life adversity or susceptibility to other environmental exposures. These effects may also carry into subsequent generations, even without direct exposure to the perturbagen. Consequently, epigenetic features may be informative measures that reduce uncertainty of chemical hazard identification and regulatory decision making. However, the links between epigenetic modifications and health outcomes are often correlative and do not distinguish cause-effect relationships. This lack of clarification has limited its use in a regulatory context. In this presentation, I will discuss the not only the gaps in regulatory decision making that epigenetic information may help address, but also the challenges of using such data in this context. In addition, case examples of epigenetic data used in toxicological studies will be presented, as well as organization tools such as the Adverse Outcome Pathway that will better frame these data types for regulatory research, development, and application. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the policies of the US EPA
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Epigenetics in Risk Assessment: Clarity or Confusion?
210925_EMGS TALK_BNC TO STICS.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 1819.102 KB, about PDF)